Fire extinguisher



June 26, 1928.

D. SIEBENMANN FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed Feb. 25, 1924 Patented June 26, 1928.

UNITED STATES DANIEL SIEB ENMANN, OF BERN, SWITZERLAND.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

Application filed February 25, 1924, Serial No. 694,871, and in Switzerland April 19, 1923.

Devices for extinguishing electric generator-fires with media having fire-extinguishing properties are well known. Such media are, particularly: carbonic acid, tetrachloride of carbon, nitrogen, steam and the like, and particularly in association with water: alum, slaked lime, bicarbonate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, ammonium chloride, and the like. Of these media carbonic acid is the best on account of its immunity to chemical reactions. But the fire must be extinguished instantly in view of the great danger of the electric generator being completely destroyed. For this reason carbonic acid ready for use in steel flasks has been used. Such installations have been ford Electric Light Co. and b the Union Electric Li ht & Power Co. at t. Louis and have been ully described in the Electrical \Vorld of November 18, 1922. But highly compressed CO if suddenly released immediately freezes, so that .in the CO fire-extinguishers proposed heretofore it has been suggested to reduce the gas pressure in auxiliary vessels. \Vith the large quantities of CO required for extinguishing a fire, however, such installations become extensive and expensive. As the flasks frequently lie unused for years before they are employed the minutest leak may lead to their being prematurely emptied.

In the improved fire-extinguishing device according to my present invention comprising a holder containing liquid carbonic acid the danger of freezing is obviated by the holder being so arranged that when it is opened the liquid contents are first ejected. The heat-absorbing process of the change of state then takes place outside the flask and a simultaneous intense cooling of the seat of the fire is possible.

The liquid CO may be blown out of a steel flask which is turned on its head so that the liquid CO in the flask will cover the discharge valve. The same purpose however can be served when the flask assumes its normal position provided the discharge valve is equipped with a tube extending to the bottom of the flask.

One embodiment of the invention is diagrammatically illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing.

An electric generator comprising a rotor g and a stator 10 having coils is cooled by a fan 1: located in a chamber w ich also houses erected by the Hart I the endangered a flask 0 containing liquid CO and which has several openings each controlled by a valve respectively designated f, 1', It.- If these valves are in the positions indicated in broken lines. cool air will flow past the valve f into the said chamber and will leave the same at valve 12 after passing'the generator. Air which has been heated in the engine room and has cooled after leaving the valve It may be returned by way of the valve 7. A valve u controls the circulation of air in the chamber, whereas the outlet of the steel flask 0 containing liquid carbonic acid gas is controlled by a valve '1'. The generator feeds a supply circuit controlled by a switch 6, and the said valves f, i, r, u, l1. are connected each by a tie a running over rollers 0 to a hand pull s-for operating them conjointly.

The apparatus described above is operated as follows :-normally the valves k, f, u, r occupy the positions indicated by the dotted lines, and the switch e and valve i are closed.

owever, when a generator fire breaks out, all the valves h, f, u, r are moved to the positions shown in full lines by a pull on the handle 8. The generator is thereby shut off from the outer air and the fan 1) drives the enclosed air in a circulatory path through parts of the generator. At the supply circuit is opened at the switch 0, and the 0 valve i is opened. The circulating air thus becomes mixed with carbonic acid gas which when the same time,

flowing through the generator extinguishcs the fire.

The invention is not restricted to the precise constructional details above described as they may be modified within the scope of the claims.

I claim 1. In an apparatus for extinguishing electric generator fires. the combination with the electric generator and a chamber, said cham her having air inlet and discharge openings enclosing said generator, of a container holding liquid CO, disposed in said chamber, means controlling the outlet of said container, means in said chamber disposed intermediate said generator and said container for continuously circulating a current of air throu h and around said generator, means for cFosing'the openings in said chamber, and means for simultaneously operating said last named means and the means controlling the outlet of said container, so as to close said chamber against the access of air, and permit the discharge of liquid CO into the circulating current of air.

2. In an apparatus for extinguishing electric generator fires, the combination with the electric generator and a housing therefor, said housing being provided with openings, of a container holding liquid CO disposed in said housing, means controlling the outlet of said container, a fan in said housing intermediate said container and said generator for continuously circulating a current of air through and around said generator, means for closing the openings in said housing, an electric switch for connecting and disconnecting said generator, and means for simultaneously operating said switch, said closing means of said openings, and said means controlling the outlet of said container, so as to simultaneously close said housing against the access of air, open said switch and permit the discharge of liquid CO from said container into said circulating current of air.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

DANIEL SIEBENMANN. 

